The present invention relates to an automatic water stopper for snorkel, and more particularly to a structurally strengthened automatic water stopper for connecting to a snorkel to provided good water-stopping function automatically.
A snorkel is one of many major diving apparatus for skin diving, and it enables a diver to see scenery under water while keep breathing smoothly.
A conventional snorkel is a substantially J-shaped hollow tube without any water-stopping means connected thereto. Therefore, a diver using the conventional snorkel tends to be choked with water flown into the snorkel via an open upper end thereof.
A conventional automatic water stopper has been developed for connecting to the upper end of the conventional snorkel and mainly includes an expanded case provided at the upper end of the snorkel. A one-way diaphragm valve, a cylindrical float, and other components are mounted in an inner space defined by the expanded case. When the float is in contact with water and lifted due to a buoyancy of the water, it upward touches the one-way diaphragm valve to automatically close the latter and thereby prevents water from flowing into the snorkel and protects a diver from being choked with water.
The above-described expanded case at the upper end of the snorkel for mounting the one-way diaphragm valve and the float is a hollow case without any rigid supporting means. When the snorkel with the conventional water stopper is stored along with other heavy diving apparatus, such as air tanks and lead weights, and is compressed by or collides with these heavy apparatus, it tends to be easily damaged or broken. Moreover, the expanded case provided at the upper end of the conventional snorkel tends to damage or break and becomes useless when the snorkel collides with rocks or reefs or is struck by big waves. And, a damaged snorkel is very dangerous to the diver and should be avoided.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a structurally enhanced and functionally improved automatic water stopper for connecting to an upper end of a snorkel to ensure the safety of a diver using the snorkel.
To achieve the above and other objects, the automatic water stopper for snorkel according to the present invention mainly includes from bottom to top a lower case having radially equally spaced upright air tubes, a float and a water-stopping diaphragm having corresponding radiated cross section, an air path disk, an upper hood, and an upper case. The air path disk includes a plurality of alternately arranged valve openings and air paths. The air paths are always communicable with the air tubes and a hose connector on the lower case for air to flow into and out of the snorkel hose while the valve openings are closed or opened depending on positions of the float and the water-stopping diaphragm in the lower case. When the valve openings are opened, air flows into or out of the snorkel hose along a path defined by the valve openings, the air paths, and the air tubes. When the float is in contact with water and moves upward due to a buoyancy of the water to close the valve openings, external water is prevented from flowing into the snorkel hose and accordingly a user""s mouth. The radially spaced air tubes also strengthen the lower case to avoid easy breaking thereof due to collision with other things.